Electric track switch



Au 14, 1928.. msmm R. R. SCOG AN ELECTRIC lR AQK SWITCH Filed Dec. 23, 1924 Patented Aug. 14, 1928.

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RICHARD n. SCOGGAN', or JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO CHEATHAM ELECTRIc SWITCHING DEVICE COMPANY, or LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

ELECTRIC TRACK SWITCH.

Application filed December 23, 1924. Serial No. 757,670.

This invention relates to an electric track switch and more particularly to means under the control of the motor man whereby the track switchcan be maintained in or shifted to proper position electrically to enable the car to travel over the switch in the desired direction. I I

One of the objects of the invention is to provide simple and compact switch operating mechanism which can be placed readily on any support in proximity to the track switch and the operationof which will depend upon the operation of the controller while the car is in a predetermined position while approaching the switch.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in'the combi nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it" being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed maybe made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawing, which shows the invention in diagram, the pre- 'ferred arrangement has been illlustrated.

Referring to the drawing-by characters of reference 1 designates the trolley and supported adjacent thereto are spacedpairs of conta'ctors 2 and 3,and 4 and 5. These pairs of contactors may be disposed any desired distance apart and 2 and 4 are located at a point where the trolley wheel WV can engage them before the car reaches the track switch S. In the drawing the controller on the car has been indicated at C and the motor at M, the controller being electrically connected to the wheel W in the usual manner and the motor being also grounded in the usual manner, as shown. These contactors may be constructed and'mounted as shown in Patent #917,541, issued April 6th, 1909 to R. V. Cheatham, and the parts are preferably arranged in Patent #7 87 ,827, issued April 18th, 1905, to'said Cheatham.

The contact-or 4.- is electrically" connected to thetrolley 1 by a suitable conductor 6 white contact-or 5 is electrically connected by a conductor 7 to the coil of an electromagnet 8, the other terminal of which is grounded as at 9 through a resistance 10.

The contactor 2 is electrically connected by a suitable conductor 11 to the coil of an electro-magnet 12, and the other terminal of this coil is electrically connected, as by means of a suitable conductor 13, to the trolley 1. Gontactor 3 is electrically connected as at 14, to a contact 15. This contact is normally engaged by one end of a lever 16, the other end of which is fulcrumed as shown at 17. This lever carries the armature 18 of the magnet 8 and connected to the lever adjacent this fulcrum is a spring leaf 19 carrying a hammer head v2O. The spring holds the head normally in contact with the lever but is so positioned relative to the electro-magnet 12 that when said magnet is energized, the spring will be attracted thereto away from the lever 16 and against the tension of the spring.

The lever 16 is electrically connected by a suitable conductor 20 to another lever 21 which is fulcrumed as at 22 and projects he tween spaced contacts 23 and 2 1. Contact 23 is electrically connected, as at 25, to one terminal of a solenoid 26 while contact 24 is electrically connected. as at 27, to one terminal of a solenoid 27. Both solenoids aregrounded as shown at 28 and the core 29, which is common to bothsolenoids, is operatively connected to the shifting members S of the switch as shown. Pivotally mounted on the fulcrum 22 of lever 21 is a bell crank 30..one arm of which extends close to and is adapted to be attracted by the energized magnet 12 while the other arm 'of the bell crank projects under and bears upwardly against lever 21. A threaded stem.31 projectsfrom the bell crank and carries a weight 32 which serves to hold the bell crank normally, in one position, as shown in the drawing, with lever 21 pressing against the contact 23. The resistance in the switchsolenoids 26 and 27 is arranged to draw from six to eight amperes.

It is tobe understood that the entire apparatus illustrated except those parts 2119 61111365. the car, is te be located at a 2 and 3. Consequently a current of from. six to eight amperes will start from the trot.

ley wire and pass through the electromagnet 12 from the conductor 13. throughicon doctor 11 to contaetor 2 and thence through 7 wheel W and contact'or 3' to. theconductor 14 to the contact 15. From this contact 15 the current will flow through: the lever 16 and-conductor 20 to lever 21 and theme by way'of contact 23 and conductor 25 to the magnet 26 andground.

' through the electro-inagnet 12 will be suf ficien't to draw the spring 'or armature 19 away from normal position against the tension of spring. At the same time magnet 26 when energized will shift the switch tongue S to properposition. As soon as thewhcel W leaves the contactors 2 and 3 the circuit will bebroken and asthe spring armature 19 is released, the head 20 will strike zthammer-like blow against the lever 16 with the result that said leverwill' be shifted away from the contact 15 and remain iirsuch position. inoperative until the trolley-wheel reaches the-next pair of contactors t-and 5. At this time the wheel 1V engaging the contactors' 4 and 5 will allow a current to flow from the wire to the magnet 8 and through the resistance 10' to the ground. This energizing of the magnet results in the armature 18 being attracted so as todraw lever 16 back against the contact 15 and reestablish the operating condition or, as is termed by those skilled in the art, unlocks the switch.

Should the motor man= desire to take the curve track at the switch, he does not shut off the power to the-motor while passing the contacts 2 and 3. Instead the full current which should be twenty amperes or more lit) is allowed to pass through the magnet 12 and-as this current is suflicie'nt to overcome the weight 32- and attract the adjacent arm of the bell c'ank 30, lever 21 will be permitted to gravitate against contact 24 and thus close the circuit through the solenoid 27' to the ground. When the current is broken as before stated, the spring armature 19, which has been attracted by the energiZ-ed magnet 12, will be released-and' will strike against lever 16', and shift said lever away from' the contact- 15; Thus everyoperation will be as before described. I

It is to beunderstood that the armature 19 is operated by every car passing the' switch because the spring tension' is always over come by the switch current of from six to.

eight amperes passing through magnet 12.

Thi s flow of current As a result the mechanism is left 'ley wire contactors, .tra ckmagnets, a

It is to be understood that in this apparatus the circuit changing magnet performs two separate functions. to shift the lever 21 from one contact to the otherand, second, it breaks the circuit or contact between the lever 16. and the contact 15. As far as is now known, this service has only. beenpossible heretofore by the use of a'nadditional magnet; will be notedfurthermore, that in the present apparatus, the cut out-isaffected only after the switch current is cut off. No arcing of the cut-out is possibleihecauseit.cannot function until the circuit is dead. Another feature of importance in" this system: is'that if the motor man should pullthe car under; the contactor WllllGftllGPOWI is on and stop on the contactorythe lever 2-1 would remain-down against the contact 24:;although the motor currenthas been shut OK This is'due to the fact that bell crank 30'would'be attracted by the magnet 12 and while it takes twenty First it acts amperes to place; its there, it will remain there under the magnet-icpull of from six toeight amperes;v r

The levers 301being mounted as described with-reference to lever 21 can always come to proper position against the core off'magnet 12 regardless ofany variations in the movement ofthelever 21: This apparatuseffects a considerablesaving incost as: well asin space required because-of the reduction in the numberof: magnets necessary? I I Although the: current required to operate under different conditions; havev been stated as from six t'oeight al'nperes and twenty or more amperes, it IS to'be understood; that any relatively low or'high amperage can be employed. r r

Iclaim-r- 1. In an: electric trackswitch having troltrolunagnet adapted to be placedin series with the car motor: and" in circuit with the trolley wire contactor and: one of said track magnets, armatures col-operating therewith, one ofthe armatures operating: after the control magnet has"beeirdeenergized and the: other armature co-operating with the control magnet to shift or change thecircuit from onetrack magnet to another, as'the control magnet is connected in circuit with the earmotoi" or not;

Hill

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' 2; I n-an electric track switch having trolley-wi're contact'ors; track magnets, a control 111agnet0perated by car motor current, an electric connection between a trolley contactor and the" tracl't magnets, a switch arm forming apart ofisaid connection, a retractile armature co-operating with said switch arm" and with saidcontrol magnet to-break the circuit-between the contactor and the track magnets after the control m'ag'net'is deenergized. V r

p 3. In an electric track switch having trolley wire contactors, track magnets, an electric circuit connectmg one of said trolley Wire contactors and the track magnets, and

a circuit changing switch and a circuit breaking switch forming a part of said circuit, two electric magnets located near the said switches, one magnet being connected to the trolley wire and to one of the contactors and operating in, conjunction with both the circuit changing switch and the circuit breaking switch to change said circuit when the magnet is energized by a car motor current and to break said circuit after said magnet is demagnetized, the other magnet being connected to a second trolley wire contactor and to the ground and operating in conjunction with the circuit breaking switch to close the switch when the magnet is energized by current from the second trolley contactor.

4. A switch including opposed electromagnets for electrical connection with a track switch and separate contacts in communication with the respective magnets, said magnets having a relatively low am perage, a lever movably mounted between the contacts, a weight-ed armature for maintaining the lever normally against one of the contacts, means controlled by the movement of the trolley wheel to a predetermined position for setting up a current from a trolley wire through said lever to one of the switch magnets, said means including a lever carrying an armature and a contact normal ly engaged-by the lever, a spring armature carried by the lever and normally in contact therewith, an electro-magnet for receiving a relatively high amperage when the motor current of the car is turned on, said high amperage magnet constituting means for attracting the weighted armature to re lease the first named lever for engagement with its second contact.

5. A switch including opposed switch magnets, a lever controlling the same, a trolley wire, spaced contactors, an electrical connection between the trolley wire and one of the contactors, said connection including an electro-nlagnet, an electrical connection between theother contactor and the lever, a weighted armature normally, holding the lever to maintain a circuit to one 01": the switch magnets, and a trolley wheel constituting a means for establishing a circuit between the contactors, said electro-magnet adapted to be energized by a relatively high amperage when the current to the car motor is turned on, said amperage being suflicient to actuate the weighted armature and release the lever to complete a circuit to the other switch magnet.

6. A switch including separate switch magnets, a lever controlling the flow or current thereto, a trolley wire, separate contactors adjacent thereto for engagement by a trolley wheel, means controlled by the movement of the trolley wheel into engage ment with the contactors for setting up a current of low'amperage through the lever and one of the track magnets, said means including a lever and a contact therefor, a magnet adapted to be energized by high or low amperage, a'resilicnt armature carried by the last named lever for attraction by said magnet, said magnet when energized by a high amperage constituting means for shifting the lever of the track magnets to direct low amperage current into the other track magnet, said resilient armature constituting means for striking its lever when the current is broken through its magnet to knock the lever away from its contact and break the current to the track magnet.

7. A switch including a switch magnet, a trolley wire, contactors adjacent the wire, means controlled by the engagement of the wheel with the contactors for conducting a current to the switch magnet, said means including a contact, a lever normally engaging the same, and a resilient armature, and an electro-magnet included in circuit with the track magnet, for attracting the resilient armature, said magnet, when deenergized, releasing the resilient armature to strike the lever from its contact and break the circuit to the magnet.

8. A switch including a switch magnet, a trolley wire, contactors adjacent the wire, means controlled by the engagement of the wheel with the contactors for conducting a current to the switch magnet, said means including a contact, a lever normally engaging the same, and a resilient armature, an electromagnet included in circuit with the track magnet, for attracting the resilient armature, said magnet, when deenergized, releasing the resilient armature to strike the lever from its contact and break the circuit to the magnet, additional contactors, a magnet and means controlled by the trolley wheel on the additional contactors for energizing the magnet to attract and reset the lever.

9. In an electric track switch having trolley wire contactors, track magnets, a control magnet adopted to be placed in series with the car motor and in circuit with one of the track magnets, having 'armatures co-operating therewith, one of the armatures co-operating with a control magnet and operable only when the said magnet is placed in series with the car motor, and the other armature equipped with means which is actuated each time the control magnet is energized to operate the said other armature after the said control magnet isde-energized.

10. In an electric track switch having trolleywire contactors, track magnets, a control magnet adopted to be placed in series with the car motor, and in circuit withone of the track magnets, having armatures co-operatingtherewith, one ofthe armatnres ocoroper- 1i3iI1g'Wit-h the control magnet and operahle only when the said magnet is placed in serles with the can motor, andthe other having a secondary sprlng member that is actuated each time the control magnet is energized to operate the armature after the saidmagnet is de energized. 10 In testimony that l olaim the. foregoing as my own, Ihave hereto affixedmy signature.

RICHARD Rg SGOGGAN. 

